1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibrator preferably used for a vibratory gyroscope.
2. Related Art Statement
The applicant has studied various applications of a vibratory gyroscope, such as a turning angular rate sensor employed in a vehicle dynamic control system of an automobile body based on a vehicle turning rate feedback system. Such a system detects the direction of a steering wheel itself by a turning angle of the steering wheel. Simultaneously, the turning rate of the car vehicle is detected by the vibratory gyroscope. The system finds a difference by comparing the direction of the steering wheel with the actual body turning velocity, and attains a stable vehicle control by correcting a wheel torque and a steering angle on the basis of this difference.
It is indispensable to detect the turning angular rate at a high precision in such control system. When the detection of turning angular rate at a high precision is tried, however, unnecessary dislocation may be easily induced in the bending vibration arm of a vibrator. The unnecessary dislocation may directly contribute to an error in a detection signal from the arm. That is, in a vibratory gyroscope, driving vibration is excited in the driving vibration arm of a vibrator and the vibrator is then turned. A detection electrode provided in a detection vibration arm detects detection vibration induced in the vibrator. The thus obtained alternating output signal is supplied into a detection circuit, and subjected to a process for cutting the effects of the driving vibration as possible to finally obtain an output signal corresponding to a turning angular rate. The output signal is normally output as a value of direct current. The unnecessary vibration and dislocation directly affect the measured value of turning angular rate, so that it is difficult to precisely cut the noise.
The applicant has disclosed to form an elongate hole in a driving vibration or detection vibration arm of a vibrator, as described in Japanese patent publication 11-125528A. The applicant has tried to provide a through hole in a longitudinal direction of an elongate arm so as to reduce the resonant frequency of the arm. It has further tried to provide driving and detection vibration electrodes on the inner wall surfaces of the through holes to reduce the above described unnecessary deformation and vibration.
Further in Japanese patent publications 2002-261575A and 2002-204141A, it is disclosed to provide a bending vibration arm having a cross section substantially of H-character by providing two opposing grooves on both faces of the bending vibration arm. Japanese patent publication 2002-340559A disclosed to form grooves in the tines and base portion of a fork-shaped vibrator.